Statements Of Cash Flows - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017		Sep. 30, 2016		Sep. 30, 2015
Operating Activities
Net income (loss)	$ 3,531,933		$ (10,286,884)		$ 9,321,341
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	18,397,548		24,487,565		23,821,139
Impairment	662,990	[1]	12,001,271	[1]	5,009,191
Provision for deferred income taxes	375,000		(9,960,000)		2,672,000
Gain from leasing fee mineral acreage	(5,147,957)		(7,732,023)		(2,007,993)
Proceeds from leasing fee mineral acreage	5,194,290		8,049,434		2,053,900
Net (gain) loss on sales of assets	94,889		(2,688,408)
Common stock contributed to ESOP	312,380		200,158		185,113
Common stock (unissued) to Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan	358,658		329,465		302,353
Restricted stock awards	597,940		781,479		895,127
Other	(5,783)		81,606		449,905
Cash provided (used) by changes in assets and liabilities:
Oil, NGL and natural gas sales receivables	(2,298,256)		2,589,146		8,151,379
Fair value of derivative contracts	(944,430)		4,639,035		(2,308,922)
Refundable income taxes	(406,071)		262,023		(345,897)
Other current assets	165,557		308,980		252,807
Accounts payable	(103,389)		(811,749)		(343,186)
Income taxes payable					(523,843)
Accrued liabilities	(27,107)		388,053		40,500
Total adjustments	17,226,259		32,926,035		38,303,573
Net cash provided by operating activities	20,758,192		22,639,151		47,624,914
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures, including dry hole costs	(25,807,897)		(3,986,235)		(30,800,625)
Acquisition of working interest properties					(308,180)
Investments in partnerships	(23,563)		50,126		(533,580)
Proceeds from sales of assets	723,700		4,501,726
Net cash used in investing activities	(25,107,760)		565,617		(31,642,385)
Financing Activities
Borrowings under debt agreement	27,809,185		12,339,101		25,833,116
Payments of loan principal	(20,087,185)		(32,839,101)		(38,833,116)
Purchases of treasury stock	(601,853)		(117,165)		(242,313)
Payments of dividends	(2,684,001)		(2,677,305)		(2,669,056)
Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation			(43,000)		23,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	4,436,146		(23,337,470)		(15,888,369)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	86,578		(132,702)		94,160
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	471,213		603,915		509,755
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	557,791		471,213		603,915
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information
Interest paid (net of capitalized interest)	1,212,878		1,365,474		1,558,885
Income taxes paid, net of refunds received	720,072		2,029,977		3,009,939
Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities:
Additions and revisions, net, to asset retirement obligations	624,893		14,095		70,529
Gross additions to properties and equipment	25,406,894		5,118,733		26,183,115
Net (increase) decrease in accounts payable for properties and equipment additions	401,003		(1,132,498)		4,925,690
Capital expenditures, including dry hole costs	$ 25,807,897		$ 3,986,235		$ 31,108,805

[1] At the end of each quarter, the Company assessed the carrying value of its producing properties for impairment. This assessment utilized estimates of future cash flows or fair value (selling price) less cost to sell if the property is held for sale. Significant judgments and assumptions in these assessments include estimates of future oil, NGL and natural gas prices using a forward NYMEX curve adjusted for projected inflation, locational basis differentials, drilling plans, expected capital costs and an applicable discount rate commensurate with risk of the underlying cash flow estimates. These assessments identified certain properties with carrying value in excess of their calculated fair values.